1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for shielding a person from a combative person and for transporting the combative person after the person has been subdued.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A continuous problem with combative persons, such as different types of psychiatric patients, has been the ability to subdue the person with minimal damage to both the person being subdued and the caretakers subduing the person. A further problem has been then to transport the subdued person to the appropriate facility. Typically, the combative person is simply overpowered or overwhelmed by a number of persons by sheer physical force. Combative persons have been known to pick up different kinds of objects and throw them at the would-be subduers, and to fight with hands and feet in resisting the subduers. The transporting may be simply physically picking the subdued person up and physically carrying the individual. On the other hand, if the subdued person is sedated, a wheel chair or a gurney may be used to transport the person.
There are obvious disadvantages to the crude methods used heretofore in which the present invention overcomes.
The present invention provides a simple yet very effective shield behind which subduers may advance on the combative person and which may be used to help subdue the individual. The apparatus may then be used as a stretcher, or the like, on which the subdued person may be transported. The apparatus includes provisions for restraining the individual while the individual is being transported.
The invention described and claimed herein comprises a combination shield and stretcher for subduing a combative person and for transporting the combative person after the person is subdued. The apparatus comprises a two portion shield which folds in the middle and which may be used to wrap partially around a person to help subdue the person. Appropriate apertures or holes extend through the apparatus for hand holds and include apertures for securing restraints to the elements and an aperture through which a subduer may look while yet being protected and which aperture may be used to receive the face of the individual subdued when the individual is placed face down on the apparatus for transport purposes. The apparatus includes a moisture impervious outer covering enclosing a padded and yielding, and yet somewhat inflexible interior such that the apparatus may be used as both a shield and a transport carrier on which an individual may be placed for transport purposes.
Among the objects of the present invention are the following:
To provide new and useful shield apparatus for protecting a person against a combative individual;
To provide new and useful apparatus on which a person may be disposed for transport purposes;
To provide new and useful shield apparatus which may be disposed about a combative person to help subdue the person;
To provide new and useful transport apparatus having a plurality of restraint elements for restraining a person being subdued; and
To provide new and useful shield and transport apparatus for protecting individuals as they advance on a combative person and for transporting the combative person after the combative person has been subdued.